HKU scholar Eric Cheung steps down from Law Society council

A senior legal scholar at the University of Hong Kong, Eric Cheung Tat-ming, has announced that he's standing down a year early from his role as a member of the Law Society's governing council.

Cheung, a principal lecturer and director of clinical legal education at HKU's law faculty, said in a Facebook post on Monday that other commitments made it difficult to carry out his role with the society, which had been due to run until its AGM next year.

"Given my various priorities and commitments, I have been struggling hard to continue to discharge responsibly my duties as a Council member of the Law Society," he wrote.

"As I have mentioned to some of you recently before this year’s Council election, although my term of office should end by the AGM next year, I have decided to resign earlier from Council irrespective of the outcome of the election, so that I may focus on my other priorities, particularly in the provision and promotion of pro bono legal services, while maintaining a more balanced life with quality time for my family and friends."

He said he submitted his formal resignation from the council and two of its standing committees on Monday afternoon. He was first elected to the body in 2018.

"I sincerely hope that the Law Society Council can continue to have a good mix of members with diverse backgrounds and ideologies who can live up to a high standard of integrity and truly share the values of maintaining political neutrality and professionalism in the work of the Law Society as a professional body."

In response to Cheung's announcement to resign from the council, Law Society's President Melissa Kaye Pang said the Law Society respects his decision and would like to express its gratitude to him for his contribution and service to the Law Society.

Pang said Cheung notified the Council of the Law Society on Monday of his resignation from the Council with immediate effect.

“Under the Articles of Association, the Council has the power to co-opt a member to fill the Council vacancy arising from his resignation until the next AGM [annual general meeting],” she added.